Personal Training in New Zealand

Meat-free meals - what are the benefits?!*

On occasion we get asked for meat-free alternative meals and how
to include more recipes into our diets that are "meat-free".

Did you know that Hollywood's very own beef cake, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, who is widely regarded as one of the best
bodybuilders of all time is an advocate for switching to a few
meat-free days a week?! But why….?

Now, by no means am I demonizing eating meat, or am I saying that
meat is bad for you or that you should avoid eating meat - a
healthy and well-balanced diet incorporates both red and white
meat, but interestingly many Australians are now joining the global
move to have one day a week free of meat - "meat-free
Mondays".

Where people struggle is how to create appealing meals that are
meat free and satisfying!

Apart from the ethical side, there are many other benefits to going
meat free even for a day, such as: it benefits the environment, is
cheaper on your wallet and is also good for your health.

The benefits of going meat free:Having a few meat-free meals each week is a great
opportunity to explore other nutritious alternatives and a more
plant-based diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, and beans as
alternatives to meat.
Samantha Cowan, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Sports
Dietitian says "as a nation we are probably eating too
much fatty, salty, processed meat and meat products. This comes
with following a Western diet, which is high in saturated fat, salt
and sugars from processed, convenience and fast foods," she
says. "Choosing a meal based on legumes or lentils, which are low
GI and high in dietary fibre and
antioxidants, may reduce your risk of bowel cancer and
moderate blood-sugar levels. Vegetarians are, in general, less
likely to be overweight or obese, and less likely to suffer from
the diet-related diseases linked with a Western diet."

Fight diabetes: Recent findings show that you
could reduce your risk of diabetes if you eat a diet high in
vegetables, oil-rich fish (trout, mackerel, salmon and fresh tuna),
wholegrains, nuts and olive oil, and low in red meat and sugary
processed cakes and biscuits.Lower cholesterol and control blood
glucose: Beans and lentils are all low in fat and
high in fibre - particularly soluble fibre, which helps to control
blood glucose and cholesterol levels and also helps to keep you
regular.

Help protect against cancer: reducing our
intake of red and processed meats (The World Cancer Research Fund
International recommends we eat no more than 500g of cooked red
meat each week) and very little, if any, processed meat, which
could prevent multiplication of sick cells

Save money: Consuming other meat
alternatives such as beans and lentils cost less than the
equivalent amount of meat or fish.

Here are a few simple ways to help enhance meat-free meals so they
are more appealing and satisfying:

Breakfast options:
Mushroom Bruschetta on crunchy sourdough toast
Swap sweet tomatoes for warm garlic mushrooms to make this
comforting version of bruschetta.

Corn Fritters with an Avocado Salsa.
Corn kernels are high in many essential vitamins and they offer a
great burst of flavour to any dish. This is the perfect summer
breakfast, healthy, colourful and balanced.

Dinner options:
A stir-fry with tempeh or tofu instead of animal protein for dinner
is always filling. Adding some mushrooms is another way to create a
more satisfying meal.

Using chickpeas or lentils into a homemade pasta sauce with pasta
and roasted veg is a super quick meal. You can make the sauce in
batches, freeze in containers and take out to defrost when
needed.

Morning or afternoon tea snack options:
A pea protein or Vision whey protein powder smoothie with almond
milk, banana and spinach and some LSA is both nutritious and
filling. You could add whatever fruit and vegetables you like; the
flavour combinations are endless!

Other ways to help get in some meat-free protein options are
dairy products such as milk, Greek yoghurt, and cheese and
incorporating eggs into your diet is another great way as well.
Again, using everything in moderation is always key.

It is important to be consuming a source of protein with every
meal and what types of protein you choose needs to be what works
for you and your own health.
You can however consume protein from non-meat sources but a diet
with sufficient nutrients is crucial for achieving optimum
health.

With any nutritional choices you make, you need to make sure they
are right for you and your body but most of all, enjoyable to
eat!

References: The World Cancer Research Fund International, The
Healthy Food Guide.